1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a puppet which is manipulated by both arms of a user primarily as a form of cheering for a person or entity during sporting and similar events. The puppet includes a first member which forms a first elongated sleeve for receiving one arm of the user and a second member associated with the first member which forms a second elongated sleeve to receive the second arm of the user. More particularly, the first and second members cooperate to provide a puppet in the shape of a mascot or characterization of the person or entity being cheered. The user imparts relative motion between the first and second members through movements of both arms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to construct a puppet having a sleeve or body as its main portion which receives an arm, finger or hand of a user. The movements of the puppet are effected by the respective arm, finger or hand located within the puppet. Thus, with this type of puppet, movement is necessarily limited to only the movements imparted by this single arm, hand or finger.
It is also known to form a puppet as a head of an animal or other character. For example, with a hand puppet formed into a head of an animal, the thumb is received in one portion of the puppet and the remaining fingers in a second portion. Animation of the puppet is accomplished by moving the fingers and thumb in relation to each other, thus opening and closing the mouth. However, once again the field of movement of the puppet is limited to the amount of movement possible with the use of only a single arm, hand or finger.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,795,896, 2,929,170, and 3,034,255, a body or sleeve portion of a puppet is designed to receive one arm of a user. A head of the puppet receives the hand, with the thumb inserted into a lower portion and the remaining fingers in a upper portion. With the above puppets, animation is accomplished solely by the movement of the single hand or arm.
It is also well known that professional, college, and high school sporting teams, as well as other competing persons and entities, often have mascots or similar characters or characterizations that are identified with the team or person. It is further known that novelty representations of such mascots, characters, or characterizations are sometimes used by fans of the team or person to cheer on that team or person. Such novelty representations typically are of the type that can be held and/or operated by one arm of the fan. The size and manner of control of these novelty items therefore limits the overall effect of cheering by fans using such novelty items.